Gas engine



Dec. 11 ,i 19123. :1,477,362

M.C.KESSLER GAS ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 original Fild Maron 15, 1915....mmun

MARTIN' KESSLEP, GF D'ETROIT, MCHGAN, ASSIGNQ-t 10 MQTOEE,

'MPANY, F DENVER; CGLORLDO GAS ENGENE.

.Sipplcation led Haren lf3, 1915, Serial llo. 14,104.

T0 all whom if; may concern.'

lie it known that l, li/IARTIN C. lnssnnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Detroit., in the. county of lilayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inf-lasEngines, of which the 'lolloivino a specilication.

lily invention rer es to an improvement in gas engines, and moreparticularlyv oi the internal-combustion type.

rllhe primar)Y 'ohject is to provide a simple and' etlioient means forcontrolling the passage ot an auxiliary supply,7 ot air, in addition tothe regular normal intake.

This is accomplished through the medium ot tivo moving elements, one otwhich may slide or reciprocate (and for which purpose the piston may beutilized), and the other ot' which may rotate; or through toto elements,one of which might turn or rotate in a sleeve. and the sleeve couldoperate es the piston, so that this element mag,7 rotate` oscillate,travel in the same direction as its co-operative element, or it 11u15vtravei in the opposite direct-ion; and my present invention thereforecomprises an explosion.

cylinder, a compression chamber, an air pas sage from one to the other,and two moving` elements tor the Control ofthe air through the passage.

lily invention further comprises means for operating-these controllingelements in unison and properly timed intervals.

The invention further consists in a lubricating system in whichhearings, operate in an air compression chamber, with means fordispensing the excess oil on said hearings hack to the oil reservoir,said means being pressure irom within said compression chamber.

ln the acrompanyingF drawings2 Figure l lis a transverse verticalsection; Figure 2 is a vieu7 in side elevation showing two cylinders andtheir connected mechanism in section;

Figures Ll, 5, 6, 7. 8, 9,10, l1 and l2 are diagrammatic viewsillustratingg diflerent positions of the moving elements on either sideof and with respect to the air passage; Figures 13, l, l5, 16 and 17 aresimilar ltrated preferably Renewed fury 5351;, 1923,.

views in which illustrated different positions ot' the moving' elementswhen the time. oit-admission or". air under pressure is varied;

Figure. 18 is a section illustrating the mechanism 'for advancing theposition of the rotary element; I

Figures i9 and 20 are details oi. aart-s ot the rotar)v elementadvancingF mechanism;

Figures 2l and Q2 are views illustrating multiple controlling elementswhich provide for more quickly transferring air both to the enginecylinder and the compression chamber;

Figure 23 is view partly in section showing the ineans whereby the tworotary elements are simultaneously controlled;

Figure 2e is a front vien' enlarged oit the gears for tperati.y g thetwo rotaries in unison.

Figure 25 is a. diagrammatic View showing I tour cylinders in plan intheir relation to the rotary7 element; v

Figure 26 is an illustration to show that the controlled passage mightbe between the tvvo contactingl parts; and

Figure 27 is a View which corresponds with Figure 13. illustrating howair from tvo compartments or compression-chambers may he admitted to oneeyiinder.

The numerals l, l, represent the cylinders, oic which there are six inthe engine illus` traterl, although the invention obviously appliesquite as well to either a lesser or greater number.

'Fitted to the cylinders are the pistons 2, 2, which pistons constitutemoving elements. or Which l shall term sliding elements. While anyapproved form oi sliding element might he used, the one illuscomprisestwo heads spaced apart in order to permit tree air circulationtherebetween to assist in keeping it cool.

The numerals 3, 3 indicate the compression-chambers, which, in thepresent illus tration ot the invention, take the form' of crank-eases,hut `which will he generally reifered to as compression chambers. rTheconnecting-rods e, l., extend from the cranks 5, 5, to the pistons orsliding elements in the usual manner; and inthe present illustrated.torni ol the invention, the cranks ex tend in pairs (as shown in Figure2) from the crank-shaft 6, although this is het one ol' rneny forms theinvention'rnigght take,

und the cranks ivhenthus arranged in pairs' :are arranged equidistantly:is illustrated in' the dotted lines in VFigure 1. Intake and@diametri-,ihres 7 end fil respei:i tively are located at the outervendoi' the eylinders, as illustrated in Figure 1, Where their movements inone direction are eontrolled by the springs 9 and 10, While theyv areunseated at predetermined intervals hy the rams 11, 1l, on theearn-shaft 12 engaging the hell-crank levers 13 and 14: centrallylocated on the rod The numeral 1S indicates the spark-plug:y screwed inet the outer end of the oyiinders, end as close es convenient to theintake-valve 'i'.

The foregoing constitute the essential elements of the standard internalcombustion engine, albeit in more or less modified and perfected form.

At the inner end of eeeh cylinder en air passage 2O is formed. There maybe one or more or three asiillustrated, and these eir passages for eachcylinder are lerrenpd so they` extend part wey around it, es shown, fora better distribution o the air. This air passage 20, es it willloe-designated, is controlled hy the sliding element or piston 2 on oneside (the inside), and hy the rotary element 21 on the other or outside.

The rotary element 21 is eornmon to ell cylinders, and is titted toand`rotates within a cylindrical valveeasing3 22. Mounted above thevalve-easingr 22 is the manifold intake 23 with ports 24.. 24e, one of-Which is shown in Figure 1, leading into the valve easingr 22, andControlled by the rotary elenient 2l, and a port 25 leads from thecompression chamber 3 into the valve-easing 22 from below, the passoireot air .therethrough being also controlled hy the rotary element.

This rotary element 2l is hollow, as illustinted. and is driven throughthe medium ot' rear 26 keyed on the crank-shaft tl, the.

intermediate-gear 27, and ,freer 28, in rela.

tion to which the rotery element is axially adjustable, il'herehy theoperation of the latter is suhiect to variation under the control of theoperator. es will he hereinafter more fully described. These roars 2Gand 28 are- {Ieared in e. ratio oi tivo to one. Through these saine withthe additional' gears 2% end SO.. the shaft '12 is rotated at the semespeed as the rotery element 21..

0n the surface of the rotary element at approximately opposite points.the sir-ducts 31, 31 and 32, are formed of diiierent annuler extent toseeure proper timing of intereoinrnunieations for bringing; the port 25into communication with the air-passoire 20, and the ports 24 or 25 intocommunication with the air-pessage .20, end the ports 2e and 25 intocommunication with each other, see Figures 3 to 12, and also for estehlishing at certain timesan inter-ooniinuuieation to the compressionChamber through the air-passage -20 of a multiple ot' Cylinders. i

While this rotary element has a positive, predetermined and continuousrotary eom tion for the control of the air-passages he `tweencompression-chamber and cylinder,

provision is made for axially shifting the rotary element. Various meansmight be employed ioneeeomplishing this, and one of many means isillustrated in detail in Figure 18, in which the gear 28 is bolted tothe *flange 33 on the outer end of a hub 34, and this huh is fitted tothe here of the rotary element 2i. The hub is provided with a spiralkey-way 35 and the rotary element is provided with a straight key-way36. A collar 37 preferably has a hell-bearing mounting S18-upon the endof rod 39, and this collar is provided with the two keys 40 and Lil, theformer oi' Which is set diagonally as shown in Figure 20, and tits thespiral key-wey 35, While the key/l1 tits and moves in the straightkey-way 36 in the driven rotary element 21. A rod 39 me i' be connectedwith the accelerator (not shown) and also to the throttle of thecarburetor 42, which eonneetions'are not shown.

lt will be understood that by movingV the rod 89 endwise, in eitherdirection, the rotary element 2 is turned axially with respect to itsdriving-ear wheel 2,8, due to the movement of the key 40 in the spiralkey-way 35. and of the key el in the straight key-wey 36 in the bore ofthe rotary element 21. The variation of the position ot' the rotaryelement varies the time of air admission, and in this way the auxiliaryair supply to the cylinders iseontrolled. ln the normal running of theengine no compression from the crank cese need he admitted to thecylinder as illustrated in Figs.' 3 to 12 inclusive, henoe air passage20 is kept closed, but when the timing' is advanced ol changed, thecompression from the erenk ease is utilized in the cylinder as in Figs.13 to ln order to get a comprehensive view of theoperation, let us nowre'ler to Figures 3 to 12, inelusive2- Figure 3 shovvs the parteapproximately in the saine position :is illustrated in Figure 1. Theslidingl element 2 is at the end of its. intake stroke, andthesir-passage 20, while open et one side, is closed at the other hy therotary element.

lny Figure 4f. the crank has made an eighth of a revolution. and theslidingr element2 has traveled suflieiently tar on its compressionvstroke to have elosed the air-inlet 20, and the rotary element has madea partial turn thusv :if/tween showing the 'air-passage closed at bothends hy the slidin and rotary elements respectively, no air eingadmitted troni the conipression-chaniher into the cylinder.

ln Figure the crunk has made a quarterrevolution, and the 'sliding orreeiproating element is still closing the air-passage while 'the duc-ts32 are connecting the intake 23 0I" atmospheric pressure in thecompressiongli to tple 7 e chamber` and overcoming the vacuum (freno edhy the outstrolte 'of the sliding or reciprocating element.

"n Figure 7, Athe crank has iliade another eighth revolution, and thesliding or reciprocating element has again closed the air-passage on theinside, the rotary elenient 2l has closed the por*l 25. and the air thustrapped or imprisoned in the compression- Chamber is from now onsubjected 'to the compression resulting from the continued instroke ofthe sliding or reciprocating element. This compression` of course,results `from the explosive stroke of the engine. Figure 8 shows theposition of the parts at the conclusion lot the explosive strolte whenthe air in the compression-chamber has reached its maximum compression,and the sliding or reciprocating element is about to makeits outstroketo expel the burnt gases from the cylinder, the parts corresponding tothe position shown in Figure 3,

Figure 9 illustrates the position after the crank has made un eighthrevolution, and the -darts are all as illustrated in Figure 4C. Thiswould he the position in Case of Inultiple cylinders which receivecompressed air from the same source as others; in other Words, Where twoor more cylinders receive air under pressre and the controlling elementsprovide for the passage of air through the air-passage 20 of 1out onecylinder at a tithe.

Figure l() ehowe` the position after another quarter-revolution ot thecrank-shaft has been made. and just `as illustrated in Figure 5. rThisligure shows the admission ofair i compression-cheinber in Case otmultioyiinder which has a Compression chainr e nunon to both cylinders.

Figure ll shows the `air being again adnl'itted to thecompression-chamber from the ninni'told intake 23 of a multiple of`cylinders.

' lin Figure 12 the admission of air tothe ooiiipression-chaniber isagain cut oit' by =fthe same controlling elements which control "the tomfthe compression-chamber ten the cylinder in er Words oontroiledby thesaine element `which controls the airpassage 20.

Coming now to Figures 13 to l?, We have illustrated the possibilitiesresulting from varying the time of admission of the volume of :iir underpressure through the air-passage 2U into the c vliln'ler above thepiston, :1nd also the varying of time of admission of air tociunpression-chamber by the same controlling elements which control theair under pressure` all o'twhich is :recoinplished through the 'mediumot the rod 3l). and its connected parts7 namely the. huh with the spiralkey-way, end the two keys, one operating in the spiral lr v-\vuy and theother in the straight key-way in the bore of the rotary element 2i.

ln Figure 3, the sliding or reciprocating element has just completed itsinst roke. The air which has heen compressed in thecoinpressioii-clm-inher is expelled under cornpression hy its release hythe tivo Inoving elements 2 and 2l, into the inner end of the cylinderjust over `the piston.

ln Figure 14, the crank has made un eighth turn and the sliding orreciprocating elenfieut has closed the air-passage 20. and the airconfined in the. cylinder is being coinpressed,

In Figure 15. the crank has made an eighth revolution. the compressionin the eylinder is continuing, andI air is being admitted into thecon'ipression-chamher froin the manifold intake 23 ,through duct 32 andthe port 25, they being in communication.

In Figure 16, the sliding or reciprocating clement has Completed itsoutstroke. The air in the outer end of the cylinder is oompressed` andthe explosion is about to take place. and air is being drawn in from themanifold intuire- 22 through duet 32 into the air-passage2O,v f

In Figure 1'?. the crank has made another eighth revolution. The slidingor reciprocating element has closed the. air-passage 20, and the port 25has been closed h v the rotary element, and the air thus confined in thecompression-chamber is undergoing oompression.

Thus the air from the compression-chemlier for augmenting the normalyintake is wholly within the control ot the operator,

and is accomplished hy the degree 'ot adrance or axial adjustment of therotary element. und the stratified condition of air and gas resultingtroni the intake offgas at one end of the cylinder und the subsequentintake of air at the other end, and the coinpression of one beneath theAother, which gives the eil'eot ot an nir-cushion over the head of thepiston upon 'which the explosion takes place.

Figures 2l and 22 simply illustrate the possibility of using multiplecontrolling elements in order to more quickly transfer the lll) ramenaair through the air-passages, of which there will be two in thisinstance, both to the en- 1gine cylinder and to the compression-chaminFigures 23 and 24, means is illustrated for transmitting motion to thesecond rotary element illustrated in Figures 2l and 22, for in additionto the geur-wheel 28 on the rotary element 2l. there is a gear-wheel 55which meshes with and drives gear 56 keyed to the rotary element 21 onthe other side.

Figure 27 shows the parts in a position corresponding to Figure 13, thesliding or reciprocating element having just completed its insiroke. Theair which has been compressed in 'the compression-chamber or chambers isexpelled under compression by its release by the two elements 2 and 2linto the inner end of the cylinder just over the piston, and air isbeing/,admitted from two compartments or compressioli-chambers to onecylinder, namel the cylinder to the left, shown in Figure 2;.

In like manner, it is possible to admit air to two compression-chambersat the same time, as when the parts are substantially as illustrated inFigure 6, thereby giving double the volume of air. ln this use, the twopistons'are traveling to ether so that when the passage 20 is opened yone, it is also opened by the other, but while the controlling ele-Vment determines whether the air is to be ad mitted to but one cylinder,by the same controlling means it is determined whetherf 'ing elements;in other words, the two elements might even rub against each other. as

illu trated in Figure 26, one being designated y the numeral 2 and theotherby the numeral 2l', yet the space between them. be comes or stillremains the controlled passage between the compression-chamber and the Yengine-cylinder.

I do not limit myself to any mechanical lmechanism for controlling theair-passages,

nor do I limit myself to the speed or timing of the moving elements inany way.

A lubricating system is provided for the bearings and cranks oi themoving parts, as shown i n Figures .l and 2. A well 43vle'ads from thelowest point of the cranks, and a 'horizontal channel ll-ivleads fromthis to a return passage 45, and in the channel 44 a removable tube 46is inserted for controlling the outlet of oil or lubricant by itsesc-apev 1speak, whence it escapes through 4outlet 457' andI ascenflsthrough the passage i5 bach: into the on sump.

Circulation of oil through. passages 3, 44 and i5 is caused bycompression created by the instroltes of the` pistons removing en cessoil from the compression-chaniber to the oil-sump. It will vbe.understood that the oil is supplied to the insuring?, threugh pas sagesi9 and 5l through any suitable means. l In the engine illustrated, lhave shown oncof these removable clean-out tubes dii for euch srt oltwocylinders.

()il is supplied to the engine through the tube 49, and ironi this lube,channels 5l extend to thc -crn'ilcsliaft bearings, and the cranksthemselves splash the oil to the other moving parts, as is wellunderstood, and the gears and moving parts outside ot' the cyl indersare kept lubricated from above, as4 is customary.

It is understood that oil is supplied to the bearingsI by any suitablemeans, and as the oil is thrown oil' and accumulates in the well shownit will readily be seen that the pressure in the-clank-case, ranging upto approximately' tu'ent v've pounds on the inward strokes of thepiston, will force the oil from the crank chamber to a. suitablereservoinwhich may not be under pressure, but from which the oil issupplied to the bearings. The fact that the suction inthe crank chambercauses but little vacuum to supply the crank chamber pistondisplacement, and as the total time while this oil release isundervacuum is but a small rcentage'both as to time and pressure, w ichcan readily be understood, keeps this charnber free from theaccumulation of oilv And while it is supposed that the release oil,passage is not in direct connection with `the oil in the supplyreservan', yet this system has been successfully. operated with an onenoil-relief directly connected with the betteln of said oil reservoirwith perfect crank-case oil scavenging.

This is not t0 he questioned because l am using this system on all of mymotors, one of which has been in constant use for six years in anautomobile.

Tt is'understood that the crank chamber and oil reservoir are separatecompartments connected only by said oil relief.

l. In a tour-cycle explosive engine which has main valves andcompression chamber valve two' cylinders, two pistons reciprocating inone direction at the same time for the purpose of creating compressionin a compression 'chamber which isV common to ther-ends' of both of saidpistons, a by-pass leading from said compression chamber to the oppositeend of. one of saidl pistons, a

by-pass to admit air to said compression chamber, vand means forcontrolling all of ica mil

4the ends oi' both ot saidpistons, a oy-pass leading froisaiidcompression chamber to "the opposite ends of said pistons,compression-cbmnber valve elterna'ly opening and then closinoy saidoy-pass leading from the compression chamber end of said two pismns to'tbe opposite end ot either one of said pistons," a to admi-t air to.said compression obsinber, and nie-ans tor in?,l the cont-rol ot sil ofsaid by-passes by the comprese-ion oinnnber valve which may be advancedor retarded While in operation Without affecting tbe timing of said mainvoli/ies.,

3. in e tour-cycle expiosive engine which hes moin wives and ecompression clieinb-er Valve trio c viinders, two pistons reciplbatingin one direction the same time for the purpose of creating compressionin a compression chamber which is common to tiie ends of both ot saidpistons, a by-pass lead'- ing' from said compression chamber to theopposite end of either one of said pistons alternately, a. by-pass toadmi-t air to said compression ebambe, means for partly controlling allof said- "by-passes by said "compression chamber valve which may be'advanced or retarded While in operation Without aeoting tbe timing oiseid main valves.

4f. in a four-cycle explosive engine which has main valves and acompression chamber valve two cylinders, two pistons reciprocating inone direction at tbe same time Jtor tbe purpose of creating compressionina compression chamber which lis common to tbe ends of botli of seidpistons, a ley-pass leading from said compression chamber to theopposite end oi one of said pistons, a bypass to admit oir to saidcompression cliamber, means -or controlling sii of said byi passes by,the combination ot' said piston or Dfi pistons and. said compressionchamber valve, and means for controlling the admission oi air to saidcompression chamber independently of said piston or pistons.

5. in a tour-cycle explosive engine which main valves and a compressionchamber valve two cylinders. two pistons reciprocating in one directionat the same time for the purpose ot creation;r compression in a.compression chamber which is common to the ends of botii ot said.pistons, oy-pass leading,r from said. compression olifimber to theopposite ends oi' said pistons, said compression chamber valvealternately opening and tben closing said by-pass leading from thecompression chamber end ot' said two pistons to tbe opposite end oteither one of said pistons, a by-pnss 'to admit air to said compressionchamber, means for eil-eating the control ot ell or" said oy-passes bythe combination of said piston or pistons and said compression chambervalve, and turther means for controlling the admission ot air to saidcompression chamber by said compression chamber valves independently otsaid piston or pistons.

G. ln a four-cycle explosive engine which has 'main valves and acompression chamber Valve two cylinders, two pistons reciprocating inone direction at the same time' 'for the purpose of creating compressionin a cono.- pression chamber which is common to tbe ends of both oi saidpistons, a ley-pass leading from said compression chamber to theopposite end of either one of said pistons alternately, allay-pass toadmit sir to said ,compression chamber, means for controllin all oi"said by-passes by the combination or said piston or pistons and saidcompression Chamber valve, and controllable means for varying the timeof admission of yair to seid compression chamber independently of seidpiston or pistons and Without a'fiecting the timingr of said mainvalves.

7. in an explosive gos-engine, a plurality of Cylinders, ocompression-clianiber, airpassages into the cylinders, a multiple otintaires to the compression-chamber, `qnd a rotary element whichcontrols the intakes to the compression-chamber.

8. in an explosive gas-engine, a plurality ot cylinders, a'compression-chamber, airpassages into the cylinders, a multiple ofintakes to the compression-chamber and two rotary elements forcontrolling tile intakes to the compression-chamber.

9. An esplosive gas-engine having a plurality of cylinders, each havingan air-pessage tbereinto, a plurality oi? compressionchambers, and twomoving elements for eecli nir-passage, one of which is capable ofadjustment to sense air from more than one compression-chamber to beadmitted to a cylinder, and also for admitting air into more than oneCompression-chamber at the same time.

l0.- fin esplosive gas engine, having a phirality ot' cylinders, eachhaving air passages tbereinto from a compression-chamber, in connectionwith e plurality ot moving ele-/ ments for tbe controi of said airpassages, two of which are rotary elements capable of variableadjustment t( @anse air from said common coinpression-cliamber to beadmitted through said air passages to a cylinder, and also tor admittingair into said common compression-chamber.

il. in an explosive engine, .the combinelll.)

